


Inheritance [First Draft, Unfinished]

by Swansae



Series: Two Worlds [2]
Category: Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi | Spirited Away
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-03
Updated: 2017-10-18
Packaged: 2018-06-06 05:05:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 17,755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6739237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Swansae/pseuds/Swansae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The connection between the Human and Spirit Worlds has stabilized, but Akuma is not done wreaking havoc. Using one of Haku's scales, he has stolen Haku's power and rightful place at the palace, leaving Haku human and mortal. A sequel to The Other World.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Prologue: Washed up**

A black-tailed gull glided over Toyama Bay. One eye scanned for the shadows of fish beneath the waves. The other remained on the dark shape bobbing up and down near the shore. It had been there since the afternoon. Finally, an hour after dusk, rocks snagged the thing and held it. When the water receded and exposed it completely, the gull saw that it was a human.

Humans didn’t usually frequent the beach at night, and never on this side of the rocks, but the gull knew that where humans were, there was food. Perhaps this one would feed him, he thought. He landed next to it and prodded it with his bill. There was no response. Maybe it was dead. He hopped onto the human’s belly to get a closer look. One of its hands was wrapped around something in a fist. Food? He pecked at the fingers to try to loosen its grip, and was sprayed with seawater as his perch spasmed. He beat his wings, startled. The human turned over, clutching the algae-covered rocks, and threw up. Anything that smelled like _that_ was definitely not food. The seagull squawked and turned tail, disgusted.

The human, a young man with long black hair and pale skin, rolled onto his back and lay still between coughing fits, relieved just to be breathing. His hair and clothes were plastered to his body, and he was bleeding where the rocks had scratched him. The salt stung. He brought his fist up to his face to examine the object he held. It was a pearlescent orb the size of a large marble. It was hard to believe that something this small was the source of the Dragon King’s authority and power.

 _Keep it safe_ , his father had said.

 _You have too much faith in me._ Haku replied silently. He could imagine Shika’s voice in his head. _Your first day as a human and you almost drown… and to think you were a water spirit in a past life._ He groaned.


	2. First Date

#  **Act I: College Life**

##  **Part 1: First Date**

“Chihiro! What are you  _ doing _ in there? We’re going to be late for class!”

Chihiro jumped up. The diary she had been leafing through fell closed with a  _ wap _ . “Coming!” She snatched up her backpack with one hand and attempted to put on her shoes with the other, hopping as she pulled the heel tab of her sneaker into place. She threaded her other arm into the backpack strap as she slipped into the other shoe, and grabbed her keys just before the door swung shut. 

“Got everything?” Yumi asked with a grin at her disheveled friend. 

“Yup,” Chihiro said. She ran her hands through her hair, still wet from its morning washing, and used the hair tie around her wrist to pull it into an acceptably neat ponytail. The elastic caught the morning sunlight and flashed purple as it stretched. In the last few months her hair had finally grown out long enough to be tied up again. 

They walked across the campus on the broad concrete path. The lawn was lush with the recent rains, and the day was heating up. Chihiro scanned the broad swath of campus as they walked, enjoying the human menagerie. It seemed there was a new fad every day among her classmates. Today it was platform combat boots. Yumi, on the other hand, was watching Chihiro.

“So what took you so long this morning?” Yumi finally asked, interrupting Chihiro’s people-watching. “Mooning over your boyfriend again?” 

Chihiro sighed. “I told you, Kohaku’s  _ not _ my boyfriend. I haven’t heard from him in months.”

“Dump him then,” Yumi said, shrugging. “If he’s going to disappear for months on end, he’s not worth your time.”

“And how, exactly, am I supposed to dump him if he’s  _ not my boyfriend? _ ” Chihiro asked, laughing. 

Yumi giggled. “That’s too bad. He was hot.”

“You  _ do _ have a boyfriend,” Chihiro teased. “Do you want him to hear you-”

“Chihiro.”

Chihiro jerked around. The figure sitting on the bench that she had just passed by was not a fellow student, as she had assumed. His dark hair had been chopped short and the usually pale skin on his arms and face looked tanned from the sun, but there was no mistaking that voice.

“What the-” Yumi exclaimed, but Chihiro was already running back the way they came and pulling a cellphone from an outer pocket in her bag, hitting the speed dial. The figure stood up as Chihiro got closer, and Yumi recognized him. He had attended the boys’ high school in their little middle-of-nowhere town for barely a week before the earthquake struck. She hadn’t seen him since, though lately Chihiro hadn’t been able to shut up about him. 

“Risuni,” Chihiro half-shouted into the mouthpiece when the call finally went through, “you won’t believe who’s here!” The man grabbed her wrist and pulled the phone away from her ear. 

“Please, don’t tell her,” he said. “Don’t tell anyone.”

“Why?” Chihiro said, furrowing her eyebrows. 

“Just, don’t,” Haku said.

“Chihiro?” Risuni’s voice called faintly from the phone. “Are you still there?”

Chihiro put the phone back to her ear. “Nevermind. I’ll tell you later,” she said.

“Are you okay?” Risuni said. 

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. Talk to you later.” She hung up before Risuni could protest. 

“Is this the mysterious not-boyfriend?” Yumi inquired as she caught up to them. “I thought you said you hadn’t seen him in months.”

“I hadn’t!” Chihiro insisted. “I had no idea he was going to be here.” She turned to Haku. “You really should give me some warning, you know. Have someone give me a call so I know you’re coming.” She looked closer. He was wearing a t-shirt that was too big for him, and his jeans were ripped. His hair was the shortest she’d ever seen it, exposing his ears and sticking up in the back. It made him seem even taller than he already was. On the bridge of his nose, skin was flaking. “Are you  _ sunburned _ ?” 

Haku’s fingers rubbed the spot, dislodging several flakes. “Is that what this is?” He sounded tired.

Chihiro frowned. She took a small step toward him and said in a low voice, so that Yumi wouldn’t overhear: “What’s going on?”

“I don’t really want to talk about it,” Haku said. “Could we go for a walk?”

“Chihiro,” Yumi interrupted. “We are going to be late. If we don’t leave  _ right now _ , we are going to be  _ very _ late.” 

Chihiro made up her mind. “Yumi, could you sign me in and take notes for me? I’ll buy you dinner.”

Yumi rolled her eyes. “Just this once. Don’t make it a habit to make me suffer Professor Sato’s blathering alone.” She walked off. “Don’t forget there’s a party at Rina’s tonight you said you’d go to. See you later.”

“‘Kay,” Chihiro called to the girl’s retreating back. She turned back to Haku. “C’mon, then.”

“Are you sure?” Haku said.

“About class? Yeah, Sato-sensei doesn’t actually teach us anything. I’ll just read the textbook later.” She grabbed Haku’s hand to pull him along, but he didn’t move. She looked back at him, confused.

“What’s the matter?” she asked.

He dropped her hand and touched his cheeks. They were hot. He felt warm all over, and there was an itch deep inside that he didn't recognize. He shivered. 

“Are you feeling sick?” Chihiro asked. His face was flushed.

Haku mentally shook himself. “I’m fine,” he said. He took her hand again, ignoring the stirring inside. 

“Have you ever had ice cream?” Chihiro said, smiling when he shook his head. “What are you waiting for then? Let’s go.”

* * *

“...and no one actually studies. They’re all off playing video games and drinking and betting on mahjong games all night. After studying for those entrance exams it’s such a let down. When I brought it up they all just stared at me like I’d grown an extra head and asked me what I expected. I guess if Yumi and I hadn’t grown up in such a small town we would’ve known this was the norm for university students. Everyone signs up for so many classes that if we actually try to learn anything from them it’s impossible to keep them straight.”

Haku contemplated the flavor of his chocolate ice cream as he listened to Chihiro chatter. She had taken what he said to heart and hadn’t probed further about what had happened. But now she looked at him, licking her ice cream cone as she did. 

“I’ve been doing all the talking,” she pointed out. “What have you been up to? How is your father? And Fujisan?”

Haku pondered how to answer the questions, innocuous as they were. He hadn’t seen his brother or father since that day he washed up on the shore of Toyama Bay more than a week ago. “Fujisan is the same as always,” Haku said. “He’s spending more time in the Human World these days, reassuring his mountain and taking care of Jukai. Father is… preparing to abdicate. Now that Fujisan isn’t spending much time in the palace, he holds audiences as usual again. He’s been busy.”

“Abdicate? Will you take the throne, then?”

Haku shook his head. “I don’t know, Chihiro. We’ll see.”

Chihiro took the hint. “How do you like the ice cream?” she asked.

Haku smiled. “If Yubaba knew about ice cream, she would keep cows instead of pigs. Maybe she would’ve been a nicer person.” Chihiro licked around the rim of her now dripping cone. When she moved the ice cream away from her face, Haku laughed. A spot of green had gotten onto the tip of her nose. He reached over to wipe it away with his thumb and his fingers brushed her cheek. His fingers lingered on her skin as his heart pounded at its rib cage prison. He stared at her in astonishment. Her eyes were wide in surprise. He could hear her breath. “Is being human always so intoxicating?” he asked softly. 

She blushed a deep pink that clashed with her green tea ice cream, and looked away. Then the meaning behind his words broke through her shyness. “Human?” she said. Her blush drained away as she considered the implications of the word. 

Haku sighed. “I’d hoped to spend some more time with you without being interrupted by any crises. This was nice.” He stood up. “It’ll be better to be moving. Let’s walk some more, and I’ll tell you everything.”

Chihiro got up and followed. The half-eaten green tea ice cream went into the nearest trash can without another glance. 


	3. Akuma Returns

##  **Part 2: Akuma Returns**

“There is a spell,” Haku began. “Shika mentioned it to you before, I believe. With enough of a person’s essence and the right kind of magic, you can become that person. You can take control of your target’s identity. Father and I have been waiting for something like this to happen. Akuma has my scale - the one that we never found last spring. Maybe he was biding his time and waiting for the right moment, or maybe the spell has just taken this long to set up - it’s a complicated one, as you might imagine. Either way, around a week ago, Father sensed him off the coast of Sapporo, heading south. Or, more precisely, Father sensed  _ me,  _ except that I was with him at the time, at the palace. Akuma used my scale to become me. He now controls the spring at Swamp Bottom. He owns my body, my dragon form, leaving me human, and mortal.”

“So I fled. There’s nothing I can do as a human against him.” Haku grimaced. “Father put a protective spell on me to keep the pressure changes from killing me before I got to the shore, and to help me breathe. Still, I almost drowned. I woke up in Toyama Bay, stole some clothes, and came here to find you. And here I am.”

“But won’t they know it’s not really you? The court, I mean. And the other spirits. They know you,” Chihiro said. 

“Maybe some of them will,” Haku said. “Father knows. I’m sure Akuma will want to keep his identity hidden for as long as he can. But even if they find out, most of them won’t care. They’ll say I was reckless, and they’ll be right. For all intents and purposes, I’m no longer Nigihayami Kohakunushi. Akuma is. And they’ll treat him as such. He’s technically the prince now. Why would they care what some human says about the matter?”

“No,” Chihiro said. “You are still you. Even if you’re human. You are not only what you look like, or what powers you have, but what you choose to do with what you have.”

“Father believes the same thing. He was something of a renegade, before he was the King.” He ran a hand through his shortened hair with a rueful smile. “To be honest, I was so relieved when you recognized me.” 

“How could I not?” Chihiro demanded.

“I feel so different,” Haku said. 

“You look different,” Chihiro said. “But you sound exactly the same. It’s not exactly the first time you’ve completely changed your appearance. I’m almost used to it by now.” She laughed. “I’d say this is less drastic than growing up. It’s just the hair, isn’t it? And the clothes. And the  _ tan _ . That’s more disconcerting than anything else.” 

Haku laughed too. “It feels worse than it looks, then. Mosquito bites, for one thing. How do you survive having such thin skin? And you humans can’t smell  _ anything. _ ” His smile faded, and he lowered his voice. “This physicality, that’s the most frustrating thing. I’ve been stuck in a flesh body for last ten years. I thought I was finally free. And now, I can’t even fly.” He gritted his teeth. 

Chihiro put a hand on his arm. “So. What are we going to do?”

“I don’t think there’s anything we  _ can _ do,” Haku said. “Even if we could reach the palace, which is more than three kilometers below the surface, where Akuma will be by now, I don’t know of any way to reverse the spell.” 

“There must be some way,” Chihiro said. Even if you don’t know what it is, someone is sure to.”

“Perhaps. But I’m in hiding again. No doubt Akuma will be looking to kill me, so he can secure the throne.”

“Is that why you didn’t want me to tell Risuni you were here? Because you don’t want her to find out?” Chihiro said. “We can trust her, and you can’t do this alone.”

“Yes. I know.” Haku said. “And we’re going to need Shika’s help, and others as well. But I wanted to wait until  _ you  _ understood the situation first.”

“Can I call her now?” Chihiro asked wryly. “I’m sure she’s worried.”

“Before you do, there is one other thing.”

“What is it?”

“I have the Dragon Pearl.” 

Chihiro looked alarmed. “The tide-jewels? They’re here?”

“It's actually only one jewel, not two. It has two faces. And yes, it's here.” He paused. “How much do you know about the Pearl?”

She shook her head. “Not much. They… I mean, it… is only mentioned in a few legends, and never in any real detail. But everyone recognizes it. Almost any picture of a dragon includes the Pearl.” 

Haku nodded. “That’s understandable. The Pearl hasn’t left the palace in over a thousand years. Any true stories about it would have needed to survive at least that long. The Pearl was a gift from Amaterasu to the first Dragon King. It is the source of his authority. When the King chooses to use the Pearl, the target of its power  _ must  _ obey. That’s why it’s critical that the King does not abuse his power, and why there are so many limitations on what the King may choose to do. Father tries not to use it if he can help it. But he had to, to banish Akuma from Mount Mazama last spring. Without it, a dragon is no match for a god, as you saw.” Haku smiled sardonically. “There have been many attempts to steal the Pearl over the millennia, and very few successes. The Pearl will kill anyone who touches it for the first time, unless that person is of the royal family.”

“How does anyone steal it, then, if they die when they touch it?” Chihiro asked.

“Usually it’s a lower prince who decides to betray the King,” Haku replied. “Only once was it someone outside the family. That time, a nine-tailed fox lost a life to the Pearl, and then took it, leaving a tail behind.” He shook his head. “The problem is, Akuma is royal now. The Pearl would not defend itself against him. And if he is crowned, he would have the right to wield it. Father gave it to me for safekeeping, to keep it away from him. But without it, Father has no power over Akuma. It would be best to get it back before Akuma realizes that it’s gone.”

Chihiro let out a long breath. “I’ll call Risuni. If she doesn’t know where to start, at least she’ll know who to ask.” She looked Haku up and down. “Meanwhile, though, let’s get you some clothes that fit, and maybe a haircut, so you blend in with your fellow humans more. And dinner.” She pulled out her phone, and for the second time that day, hit the speed dial. 

Haku sighed. There was no doubt that they needed to move, and soon. So much depended on it. Yet it was a pity. There had been a moment there, where they had been two normal people. It had been so luxurious. Haku could count the number of such moments they’d had on one hand. The flight back to the bathhouse from Swamp Bottom, years ago. That evening at the library. The walk in the rain after he bowed out of a state dinner. And now, eating ice cream together. Such moments had to be stolen, he decided, and savored. Who knew when the next respite would be? And there had been that strange feeling like excitement, or like a fierce wanting, that made his body respond as if he had run a great distance, with shaking and warmth and shortened breath. Before he’d had a chance to understand it, though, the feeling had been banished by necessity. The physical response had faded along with the emotion. 

The strangest thing was, he had liked it. 


	4. Truth or Dare

##  **Part 3: Truth or Dare**

“I see.” Risuni sighed. “Well, if I’m not going to phone home then it’s going to have to wait until Shika visits me this weekend.”

“Shika’s visiting you? That’s great!”

“Yeah… actually, he’s been coming here every weekend. We’re… um, you know…”

“Are you dating?? Why didn’t you tell me!”

“It’s just that, well, I kept telling you that I didn’t like him… and then he asked me…. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to lie. It’s just, traditionally, if anyone has a chance, it’s the miko, and I wasn’t chosen. And he’s so close to my family.”

“When did you get together? How long have you liked him?” Chihiro asked.

“He mentioned it right after school started. And how long have I liked him? Gosh. Ever since I knew what a crush was, probably. Don’t tell my parents,” Risuni warned. “They don’t know yet.”

Chihiro laughed. “Okay, I won’t. Don’t worry.”

“He’ll be here tomorrow night. Will you two be okay until then?”

“Tomorrow night?” Chihiro teased. “Have you two been…?”

“Chihiro!” Risuni exclaimed as Chihiro laughed again. And then in a much smaller voice, she answered the question.

“Wow,” Chihiro said, surprised.

“Anyway,” Risuni said, returning to her usual voice, “likely as not I’ll see you tomorrow. Try not to get kidnapped before then, okay?”

* * *

Haku couldn’t stop touching the back of his neck, which felt exposed and vulnerable after the haircut, as they made the trek toward Rina’s. Chihiro had recruited Yumi’s boyfriend, Kaito, to help him navigate the overwhelming choices of clothing. After declining one flamboyant fashion after another, he picked out a couple of sweaters and a pair of tan cotton pants. A red-faced Chihiro had silently stuffed a package of male undergarments into his shopping bag. They had stopped for a meal at one of the many carts serving pulled noodles along the road, another first for him, and then had stopped by Chihiro’s dormitory so that he could change in its tiny bathroom. Haku, used to the wide open spaces of the sky and sea, and his spacious bedrooms at the palace and Swamp Bottom, had fought claustrophobia as he pulled his new garments from the paper shopping bag. When he emerged, he had found Chihiro wearing a short blue dress that hung from her shoulders to her knees and spotted tights.

“Ready?” she had said with an embarrassed smile. “Don’t worry. Yumi and Kaito will be at the party too. It’ll be fine.”

He wondered at that now. Did she worry that it wouldn’t be fine? What could go wrong? They were her friends.

Chihiro led him up the steps of a concrete building to a door on the second floor, and knocked.

The door flew open.

“Chihiro, you came!” The girl who screamed rushed up to the new guests from the back of the small apartment. “And who is _this_?”

“Of course I came, Rina. I said I would, didn't I?” Chihiro said. “This is Kohaku. Haku, meet Rina Yoshida.”

“Is he your _boyfriend_?” Rina whispered, loudly enough for Haku to hear, as she took Chihiro by the arm.

“She says not,” Yumi said dryly. She emerged from behind the door and closed it behind Haku.

“Oh good,” Rina said brightly. “I brought somebody to meet you. Nice to meet you, Kohaku!”

“I told you I wasn't interested, Rina!” Chihiro protested, as Rina led her inside.

Rina shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe you’ll hit it off. You won't know until you meet him. C’mon, he's hot _and_ nice, and how often do you see that? Your friend is pretty good looking too, though. Are you sure he's not your boyfriend? Do you mind if I…? But what is with those clothes? Does he live under a rock?”

Yumi struggled not to laugh as Rina and Chihiro disappeared into the throng of people at the back of the room, leaving her alone with Haku. “We weren’t properly introduced this morning,” Yumi said, holding her hand out for Haku to shake. “I’m Yumi Tanaka.”

“I suppose not, though I feel like I know you already,” Haku replied, accepting the handshake. “Call me Haku.”

“So,” Yumi said conspiratorially, “ _are_ you her boyfriend? Since we know each other already.”

“I guess not,” Haku said, “if that’s what she says.”

“Poor guy,” Yumi said. “Come on in. Sorry about Rina. She means well. Do you want a drink?”

Haku had his doubts about Human World liquor. Alcohol in the Spirit World was extolled by any human who had ever tried it. Would any mundane drink even compare? Then he remembered the ice cream. “Sure,” he said.

Yumi led him to a table off to one side stocked with bottles, cans, and glasses of various shapes and sizes. “Beer?” Yumi offered. “Wine? Whiskey?”

Haku hesitated. Yubaba had been unusually stubborn about serving only rice wine and rice liquor at Aburaya. At the palace, too, they had shunned foreign drinks. He didn’t recognize any of the bottled liquors on the table, and he had no idea what might be in the cans.

Yumi glanced at him. “Have you never drunk alcohol before? Where are you from, anyway?”

Haku chose not to answer the question. “Wine, please,” he said.

“Red, or white?” Yumi asked, reaching for a stemmed glass.

“White,” he said firmly, hoping it would taste somewhat similar to what he was used to.

Yumi uncorked a dark green bottle and poured from it a liquid that, while it wasn’t yellow, precisely, definitely wasn’t white. Haku took the glass from her, holding it delicately by the bowl, afraid that it would break. It looked so fragile. He took a sip. The pale liquid was sweet like candy and somehow sour at the same time.

Rina and a new boy approached the table with Chihiro in tow. Chihiro smiled when she saw Haku standing there and sidled up until she was standing next to him at the table. “Haku, this is Rina’s friend, Takumi. Takumi, this is Kohaku.”

“Nice to meet you.” Takumi reached across Chihiro to shake Haku’s hand.

Rina shook her head impatiently. “So, Chihiro, what’ll you have? Want me to make you something?” She looked over at Yumi. “Where’s your drink?”

Yumi pointed to a bright pink concoction in a martini glass sitting on a coffee table across the room.  

Chihiro looked at Haku. “How’s the wine?” she asked. He replied with a tiny grimace, drawing a small laugh from her. “Not what you’re used to?” she asked.

“Not at all,” he replied.

Chihiro surveyed the selection on the table. The closest thing to Spirit World alcohol there would probably be the vodka, but knowing Rina, she would probably want to mix something fruity into it. And a shot wouldn’t be quite appropriate for walking around with. Then she spotted a bottle of the Korean rice liquor, soju. That would do. “How about a gin and tonic,” she asked Rina, “but with soju? Two parts soju to one of tonic.”

“Interesting,” Rina commented. She added ice, soju, and tonic water to a squat glass and handed it to Chihiro.

Chihiro took a small sip of the cocktail, and then held it out to Haku. “Trade you,” she said. “You’ll probably like this more than the wine.”

“Thank you,” Haku said quietly, trying it. It was pleasant - mildly sweet and effervescent. Rina raised an eyebrow but didn’t comment.

Takumi watched with interest. “Can I try one of those, too, Rina?” She made it for him. He took a gulp as if it were water and managed to swallow it before he started coughing. “Jeez, that’s strong,” he exclaimed.

Chihiro hid her laughter by taking a sip of wine, while Rina giggled into her hand. Takumi muttered under his breath as he diluted his drink with more tonic water.

Rina turned to pick up an empty glass and rang it with the stirring spoon. Everybody turned to look at her.

“Alright, everyone is here!” she announced. “Do you all have a drink? Great! That means it’s time for drinking games. The first one of the night will be…” She shot a mischievous smile at Chihiro. “Truth or dare!”

* * *

 Haku found himself sitting on the floor in a circle with the rest of the party guests, watching the game. They went around the circle, taking turns asking questions and taking dares. The rule was, Rina explained, you had to drink if you didn’t want to answer the question or take the dare. After the first round, Chihiro had admitted to the crowd that she had never kissed anyone before, causing several of the young men present to offer their services. She declined them with a smirk, obviously having had plenty of practice expressing the sentiment before. Haku, sitting next to Chihiro, went next. He downed his drink refusing to answer how he and Chihiro had met. Rina got up and refilled his glass as the group howled in laughter over what they assumed was an embarrassing story.

Haku watched in astonishment as the young people embarrassed each other and allowed themselves to be embarrassed. Many of them admitted to having done things that Haku didn’t recognize, though the others certainly did. The room grew warmer as more alcohol was consumed, and faces flushed from humiliation and spirits. His head buzzed pleasantly, though the drink hadn’t even come close to the strength of the spirits he was used to. He shook his head mentally at the low tolerance his human body had. The wheel spun around until it came to Chihiro again.

“Truth or dare, Chihiro?” Rina demanded.

“Dare,” Chihiro said, getting ready to drink.

“Aww, c’mon. That’s no fun. You haven’t even heard the dare yet,” someone said.

“Okay then,” she said. “What is it?”

“Choose someone here to be your first kiss, and then kiss him.”


	5. Confession

**Part 4: Confession**

Chihiro glanced toward Haku. He caught her gaze for a moment, and then it slid down into her wineglass. 

Haku touched her fingers with his. “Hey, why not?” he said. 

“Why not?” she asked, shocked. The chatter quieted down. Chihiro looked around. Everyone’s eyes were pointed at her. She gulped down the rest of her wine and stood up. “C’mon, Haku. Let’s go.”

She led the way to the front of the apartment and found her shoes. Rina got up and walked over to them as the others whispered. “Are you sure you want to leave, Chihiro?” Rina asked.

“Yeah. Sorry, Rina,” Chihiro said. She gave her friend a brief hug, and waved as they walked through the door Rina held open. She pulled out her phone.

“What’s the matter?” Haku said.

“One second,” Chihiro said. She finished typing and put the phone away, looking up. 

“What are we?” she demanded. “Are we friends?”

“Of course,” Haku said, confused. 

“Are we  _ just _ friends?”

“I don't know, Chihiro. You said I wasn't your boyfriend.”

“You're a prince!” Chihiro said. “I'm a human!”

“I'm a human too, now,” Haku interrupted. 

“But don't you have to marry a princess, or something?”

“It’s just a kiss, Chihiro,” Haku said, “and-”

“Just a kiss?” Chihiro said angrily. “Does it not mean anything to you? Do I mean nothing?” 

“Of course not,” Haku said patiently. He stroked her cheek the way he had on that bench eating ice cream, and wiped away the tears that had formed in the corners of her eyes. He pulled her to him and held her against his chest. His chin rested perfectly on the top of her head. He recalled the last time they had embraced like this. His heart had pounded then as well, but each beat had counted down the seconds of his life. “You mean everything to me, Chihiro,” he said. “You have for a long time.” He released her and lifted her chin until she looked straight at him. “Now, please? May I?”

“Yes,” she whispered. Blood pounded in her ears and her heart fluttered. His eyes filled her vision as he bent toward her. She could feel his warm breath on her face, his chest falling slowly, and without thinking her eyes closed. Their lips touched. And then she was sinking into his kiss and the feeling his mouth as it caressed hers. The taste of his mouth was not so much flavor as a visceral reaction in her belly of trembling desire. She pulled away and looked up. Haku looked surprised.

“Oh,” he said, breathing heavily. 

“Not just a kiss?” She tried to use her light, teasing voice, but her panting ruined it.

“Look at you,” Yumi said in her wry voice. 

Haku and Chihiro turned to see Yumi at the foot of the concrete steps, walking toward them.

“Chihiro, are you sure about this?” Yumi said. She waved her phone at Chihiro, displaying a text. She leaned in. “You guys could find a love hotel, you know,” she whispered in Chihiro’s ear.

Chihiro shook her head, blushing furiously. “Please no,” she whispered. “We might actually do it, and then I’ll regret it. I'm not ready.”

“Alright then,” Yumi said. She turned to Haku. “Chihiro says you need somewhere to stay?”

“You saw how small my dorm room is,” Chihiro said. Her face was still pink, but her voice had recovered. “Yumi and Kaito have a living room. I asked them to let you sleep there.” 

“Okay,” Haku said.

“I'll go grab Kaito, and we can go,” Yumi said. 

Chihiro watched her climb back up the steps. “I should warn you that Yumi and Kaito live together,” she said to Haku once Yumi was out of earshot. “Are you okay with that?” 

“You already mentioned it,” Haku said. “Why would that be a problem?”

“They um, well, you might, ah, hear some noises,” Chihiro stammered. “I don't know how spirits do it… but if you do, don't disturb them!”

* * *

Thursday, July 14th

Dear Diary,

Yumi and I ran into Haku on the way to class today, and I ended up skipping all of my classes today just to talk to him. The last time I saw him was over three months ago.

Last time this happened, there were earthquakes. Nothing so dramatic has happened yet this time, but I still have the feeling that the world is shifting under my feet. The first semester of college is almost over. Finals are in a couple of weeks. I hear they’re a joke.

The bridges between the worlds have stabilized. People can travel back and forth again, with no spell that will take your memories from you. But we’ve got a long way to go until the worlds will be able to merge back into one like they originally were. Humans don’t know how to live with spirits anymore. I came here because I wanted to do something with my life and I didn’t know what. I feel like the worlds should rejoin but I don’t know where to start, and I thought that learning environmental science would help me figure it out. Instead, I feel like I’m acting in a play. We go to class. We read. We listen to professors talk. No one cares if we do well. No one cares if we show up to class. Honestly, I’m learning nothing. I hear it’s not the same in other places. Universities in other parts of the world actually teach their students something. Here, though, I’m wasting my time. 

What I’m trying to say, diary, is that if Risuni shows up tomorrow and we need to go, I should decide now if I would quit University. 

What would my parents say?

They would say that I’m in school so that I can get a job, and that I should get a job to attract a husband, and that I should get married so that I can have a family. Actually, I don’t know at all if that’s what they think. We’ve never talked beyond getting into a good Uni. Cynicism is contagious, though.

I guess when it comes down to it, the Spirit World needs me. Daito Bunka, as nice as it is here, does not. I can either do something useful with my life now, or waste four years. Put that way, the choice is easy. So I will go. 

He kissed me today. I couldn’t have imagined in a thousand years how it felt. I believe him when he says I mean something to him. But I also believe that he will do his duty to his people. After all, he didn’t answer my question properly.

I should go to bed. Tomorrow will be, as they say, a big day. 

Love,

Chihiro


	6. Reunion

#  **Act II: Journey**

##  **Part 5: Reunion**

Risuni stood in the hallway and rapped on the door. “Chihiro, are you in there?” 

“Risuni?” a voice said from inside the dorm room. The door swung open. “Chihiro’s in class,” Haku said. He ushered Risuni and Shika inside and closed the door. “Should we go find her?”

“I’ll call her,” Risuni said. She plopped down on the bed and began rummaging through her backpack for her phone. “Did you stay here last night?” she asked Haku. 

“I stayed with Yumi and Kaito,” Haku said. 

“Has your innocence been forever ruined?” Risuni teased. Before Haku could ask her what she had meant, she had redirected her attention to her phone and was talking into it. 

There wasn’t enough space for all of them to stand. Shika settled on a corner of the bed next to Risuni and looked Haku over. “This explains a lot,” he remarked.

Haku leaned against the door and raised his eyebrows, waiting for Shika to elaborate. 

“You’ll never guess who stopped by to visit last week,” Shika said. He returned the look Haku gave him. Haku didn’t respond. “You’re no fun,” Shika accused. “It was your brother. He gave me this, and told me to pass it on to you.” He waved a large cloth package at Haku, and then tossed it to him. “He said you would need it. When I asked him why he didn’t just give it to you himself, he just said he needed to stay at the palace and that he hoped I would see you soon. And here I am seeing you, just as he predicted.”

Haku sat down on the ledge by the door with the parcel in his lap. It was heavier than he had expected. He undid the ties and unwrapped it. Inside were bundles of white, black, and blue cloth. Haku let out a long, slow breath. He picked up the first piece, made of stiff, dark blue silk, gingerly. Bits of embroidery shimmered silver when it caught the light. It was the overcoat of a sokutai, a ceremonial kimono. The pattern and the color identified it as belonging to the highest rank of the court - a prince. Haku didn't need the embroidery to tell him that. He had known what it was as soon as he touched it. “My coronation dress,” he said softly. “Fujisan must have snuck this out of the palace. That means Father told him, and he believed him.” He folded the kimono carefully and placed it back on top of the pile. He lifted the layers of cloth one by one, examining them. A teal-edged white hakama lay at the very bottom of the pile. All nine pieces were there. “They’re expecting me to make it back for the coronation ceremony.” 

Risuni finished talking into the phone and turned toward them. “When will that be?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” Haku replied. “Father hasn’t even made the official abdication announcement yet.”

“Not this month, then,” Risuni said. “They won’t have had time to prepare the banquet. The most probable time would be during Tsukimi. This year it falls on...” She pulled up the calendar on her phone. “September 15th. Almost exactly two months from now.”

“That sounds likely,” Haku agreed.

“You had to look that up?” Shika said incredulously. “You should know the day of the Moon Festival.”

Risuni glared at him. “We’ve followed the Gregorian calendar since the eighteen sixties. We don’t even get those days off anymore.”

Shika muttered something under his breath about abandoning traditions. 

“Stop that,” Risuni teased. “It makes you sound old.” She sighed. “It was easier to keep track of these things, living in the village. I feel like I’ve got a foot in each world.”

“That makes all of us,” Haku pointed out.

The lock rattled, making them jump, and then the door opened. Haku stood up out of the way, cradling the bundle. 

Chihiro entered, and immediately laughed at the sight. Risuni had on a sundress and a wide-brimmed hat in her lap. Shika boasted black skinny jeans and a motorcycle jacket. “Risuni, Shika, sorry,” Chihiro said, closing the door behind her. “I thought you were coming later.” She grinned at them. “You really have the boyfriend-girlfriend thing going, dontcha?” 

“What about you?” Risuni teased back. “I came here to find a boy in your room!”

Chihiro squeezed herself past Risuni and Shika on the bed and tucked herself into the chair at her desk, leaning forward to hug Risuni briefly. “What have I missed?” 

“Fujisan sent me my formal court costume,” Haku said. “The one I was going to wear at the coronation.”

“Fujisan? How?”

“He gave it to me,” Shika said.

“Where is he now?” Chihiro asked. 

“At the palace, if what he told me was true,” Shika replied.

“He’s likely protecting Father,” Haku added. “Since I have the Pearl.”

“What?” Shika interrupted. “You have the…” He shot Risuni a look. “Why didn’t you mention this?”

“I knew you’d react this way,” Risuni said calmly. “So where is it?” 

Chihiro turned toward Haku as well. “I wondered that too,” she said. “I haven’t seen it this whole time.” 

“It’s where I would usually keep it. Within me.”

“You swallowed it?” Risuni said in astonishment. “But human anatomy is different. You don’t have a crop now. It must be in your stomach… How will you get it out again?”

Haku shrugged. “Either I will regain my dragon form, and it will be easy, or we will need to keep it away from Akuma indefinitely, in which case it’s safest where it is.”

Risuni blinked. “That’s true, I guess.”

“Did Fujisan say anything else to you, Shika?” Chihiro said, changing the subject. “Any hints on how to break the spell?”

Shika shook his head. “I didn’t even know there  _ was _ a spell. He was being all mysterious… it must run in the family.”

Risuni laughed.

“Who can we ask?” Chihiro said. “Who would believe us?” No one answered. She looked at Haku. “What about your mother?”

“I don’t think so,” Haku said.

“Why not?” Chihiro insisted. “Would she not believe us? Don't you think she’d recognize you? Surely you can trust her.”

“I don’t think she would even remember me,” Haku said coldly. “I don’t think I ever met her, and I have no idea how to find her.”

“But you told me about her once,” Chihiro said. 

“I know  _ of  _ her,” Haku said. “That doesn't mean I  _ know _ her.”

“Chihiro,” Shika said. “Spirit families are nothing like human ones. Often spirits grow up alone, with no idea who their parents are. Sometimes, if the child turns out well, the parents will come back to claim their child. Those are not happy families, I assure you.”

_ But your mother’s not like that, _ Chihiro wanted to argue.  _ I’ve seen her with Fujisan and Aokigahara, in my dream! _ But it was so unfair that Haku had never met his mother and she had, that she was reluctant to mention it. Still, Chihiro was sure that she was the right person to ask. And there were plenty of other things Chihiro wanted to ask as well, like what it meant to be the consort, if not the wife, of the Dragon King. “What about Jukai?” she asked. “If Fujisan believes you, then she probably will.”  _ And she’ll know how to find their mother, _ Chihiro thought. 

Haku nodded slowly. “Jukai never leaves her forest. We’ll have to go to her.”

“How will we get there?” Shika interjected. “Aokigahara is at least three days walk from here. I would bet it’s not safe for this one in the Spirit World at the moment,” he gestured toward Haku, “and after what happened last time we tried to travel through the mist with someone Akuma had his eye out for, I don't particularly feel like risking it again.”

“Easy,” Chihiro replied. “We’ll take the train. In fact, if we leave now, we’ll make it there before dark.”

“The train?” Haku asked. He caught Chihiro’s eyes and smiled. 

Shika shuddered. “Travelling underground in an oversized bullet? No thanks. I’ll meet you there.”

“It’ll be easier if we both meet you there, Chihiro,” Risuni said apologetically. “I imagine we’ll be on the run at any moment, and I really should stop back home and pack.”

Chihiro nodded. “We can split up at the station, once we decide where to meet,” she said. She dumped the books from her backpack onto the desk and rummaged in her drawers for a change of clothes. She pulled a rubber-banded sheaf of yen from inside a box and tucked it beneath her clothes in the bag, as well as her wallet, phone, and keys. She swung the bag onto her back.

“Ready?” Risuni called from near the door.

“Almost,” Chihiro said. She knelt by the bed and retrieved a flat tin hidden beneath her mattress. She pried off the lid to reveal the gift Fujisan had bestowed upon her the last time they had met: an obsidian dagger inside its frosted sheath. 


	7. Fujikyuko Line

##  **Part 6: Fujikyuko Line**

A short bus ride filled with the acrid stink of gasoline. Chihiro buying a map and discussing the route with Risuni. Chihiro returning with tickets. Learning how to use the turnstile. Chihiro pulling him by the hand through the crowded station. Squeezing into the train car and standing pressed up against strangers. Being grabbed just two stops and a few minutes later and pulled off the train only to cross the platform and enter another crowded car. 

It was nothing like the train Haku knew. In his mind, the station was a solitary platform that rose from still water. The train was a single track that extended into the horizon, beyond which lay Swamp Bottom, or, from the air, a line that meandered like a river through the plains toward Aburaya.

This was another beast entirely. He had never seen so many people in one place in his life. He thought back to the few days he had attended a human high school, and was grateful for his dulled human sense of smell. The day was warm, and the train was filled with uniformed students and well-dressed men and women.

He looked over another passenger’s shoulder and caught Chihiro’s eyes. She smiled in sympathy. 

“It’s the first rush,” she explained. “People are starting to go home from work, or leave their after-school activities. It’ll clear up soon.” 

Twenty minutes later, they transferred again.

Haku looked out the window. The sight of concrete apartment buildings, laundry flapping in the wind on the balconies, was interspersed with parks lush with the recent rains. They passed through a city of glass buildings and plazas filled with people, then crossed over a highway and ran alongside it. Cars passed them by in slow motion. Each time the train stopped, people flowed in and out of the train car, packing the space to capacity. Haku found himself gradually squeezed into a corner between the wall and a divider. After almost an hour of this, Chihiro beckoned. They squeezed through the sea of bodies and got off at the next stop onto the platform. 

“Is this it?” Haku asked.

Chihiro smiled and shook her head. “One more,” she said. She looked at the time showing on the electronic display of departure times. Six thirty-eight. “We have fifteen minutes before the next train. Are you hungry?” 

She purchased them each a bento box from a nearby vendor in the corridor. They sat on a bench by the tracks and ate quickly. They had barely finished when the next train pulled in, and jumped aboard just in time. 

“We should try to find seats,” Chihiro said as they entered the car. “We’ll be on this one for a while.”

“There’s one,” Haku said. “Take it. You look exhausted.” 

“Are you sure?” Chihiro asked. 

Haku nodded, and she sank down into the seat, resting her head on a nearby rail. Haku stood in front of her, gripping the handhold overhead to steady himself against the movement of the train. “Are you alright?” he asked.

“I should be the one asking you that,” Chihiro said. “I’ll be okay. I'm just tired.”

“What are you thinking about?”

“Where we’ll stay tonight,” she replied softly. “It’ll be dark by the time we reach the station, and the forest is another three hours’ walk.” She sighed. “I was too ambitious, suggesting we leave today.”

Haku thought about it. “It might be too late to search the forest tonight, but I might know of a place we can find shelter. We’ll have to walk, though.” He told her about the couple who ran the museum in the town by the mountain. 

“How did you meet them?” Chihiro asked curiously. 

“They mistook me for a grieving relative of one of the suicides, and invited me into their home,” Haku said. “When I explained that I wasn't, they recognized me. The man told me they had a photograph of me, from back when… the river was still there.”

Chihiro took his hand and squeezed it. She had heard the pain in his voice. His grief over losing his self, the Kohaku River, would never completely go away, she knew. “I'd like to see that photo,” she said. 

The train slowed. The doors opened. Haku watched as people stood up to get off the train. Very few people got on. They had left the city limits. The scenery outside had become mountainous. The woman sitting next to Chihiro got off, and Haku took her seat. He put an arm around Chihiro’s shoulders so that she leaned on him. He could feel her relaxing against his side. Sitting there, with her slight figure next to him, he wished the moment would last forever. He listened to her breathing slow and kissed the top of her head. 

“Don’t do that,” Chihiro said sleepily. 

“Why not?” Haku asked. 

“Because I'm not a princess,” Chihiro murmured. 

“Didn't I tell you that's not how it works?” Haku said. There was no response. He couldn't tell if she’d heard him. “Hey, Chihiro,” he said, shaking her gently. “Where do we get off?”

“Last stop,” she said, barely audible. And then she was asleep. 


	8. The Sea of Trees

##  **Part 7: The Sea of Trees**

They got off the train at Kawaguchiko. Haku supported a still drowsy Chihiro as they stepped off the platform. 

“Risuni and Shika are meeting us here?” he asked. 

“Yeah,” Chihiro said. “Do you see them?” She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and pulled herself onto her own feet. 

Haku pointed. “There’s Risuni, waving at us.”

Risuni beckoned them over to where a line of taxis waited outside the station. “It’s another hour’s walk until we reach the forest, but it’s only fifteen minutes by car,” she said. “Shika’s waiting for us closer to the trees. C’mon.” She went up to the first taxi in line and peered in through the window at the driver, a balding, middle-aged man. “Jiragonno Fuji Bathhouse?” she asked. 

“Sure thing,” the man said. The back door clicked open, and the three of them squeezed into the back seat. They sat quietly, not wanting to arouse suspicion in their driver by making conversation. It was getting late, and they were tired. The trees were thick outside the reassuring glow of streetlights, and grew thicker as they went. It wasn’t long until they pulled into a driveway hidden at the side of the road and up to the front of a broad wooden building that illuminated the air around it with warm yellow light. It reminded Chihiro forcibly of Aburaya.

Risuni thanked and paid the driver, and they all filed out. They watched as the car drove away, leaving them with only the island of light from the bathhouse windows pooling out onto the asphalt. Dark cypress forest surrounded them, threatening to encroach into the light. They walked to the corner of the building, so as not to attract the attention of the busboy inside. Risuni pulled a small compass and flashlights from her backpack, and handed flashlights to both Chihiro and Haku. 

Chihiro gasped. A dark shape had appeared from behind the largest of the trees. Its eyes flashed as the taxi’s tail lights swung around the corner for the last time. She fumbled with her flashlight and pointed it at the thing. It was a deer. The deer blinked at the bright light and stuck its tongue out at them.

Risuni glared at it. “Now is not the time for pranks,” she said. “You nearly gave me a heart attack.”

The deer rose up onto its hind legs and turned into Shika, wearing the tattered vest and threadbare pants that Chihiro had first met him in. On his back he carried bundles of blankets. One arm shielded his eyes from the glare of the flashlight. “I think Chihiro nearly blinded me, so I’ll call us even,” Shika said.

Chihiro sighed in relief and pointed the flashlight to the ground. “I don’t understand how you’ve survived this long,” she told Risuni as they walked over the join Shika in the cover of the trees. Her heart still pounded from the scare. 

“No thanks to this one,” Risuni said.

Chihiro turned back to Haku, who was standing behind her, blinking furiously. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Are humans always this blind in the dark?” he demanded. 

“Poor baby,” Risuni drawled. “Now you know what we mortals have to deal with all the time. Quit whining.”

Chihiro watched Haku’s expression flicker between offended and amused, and laughed out loud. 

“It’s only going to get darker,” Shika said. “Let’s go.” 

They set off into the trees, scanning the ground with their flashlights to avoid tripping over the roots sprawled out across the forest floor. They soon lost all sight of civilization. The trees were crowded, and visibility was poor. Risuni watched the compass, leading them west. The moon rose and light broke through the trees, throwing shadows everywhere. The space seemed to close in on them. The canopy loomed overhead, and the air was quiet but for the rustle of leaves. Bats flitted between the trees, out on their nightly hunt. 

“Look over there,” Chihiro whispered. “What's that?” Her flashlight pointed at a small pile of bones that had begun to sink into the ground. The skull was unmistakably human. 

“That's terrible,” Risuni said. “They never found his body.”

“I wonder who he was?” Chihiro whispered. 

Something moved. Haku’s arm shot out to keep the girls back and swung his flashlight upward. “Who’s there?” he demanded. There was nothing, and outside the shaft of light the darkness was impenetrable. “Damn this eyesight,” Haku muttered. Wind whistled through the trees, and a face appeared in the beam of Haku’s flashlight, then disappeared. “Tell me it wasn't just me who saw that,” Haku said. 

“I saw it too,” Shika said. 

“What  _ was _ it?” Risuni hissed. She pointed her flashlight upwards and scanned the trees. Chihiro’s flashlight joined them. They could sense something moving out there, even though they couldn’t see it. 

Another gust of wind passed. A fraying rope swung through the beam of light. The three flashlights followed it down and found a corpse hanging there, decomposing. The face they had seen had belonged to the body, swinging in the wind.

“Oh my god,” Shika muttered.

Chihiro shivered. “Let’s go. I don’t like this.” Haku put an arm around her and squeezed her.

Risuni checked the compass. “This way,” she said. 

They walked on, huddled close together. It was impossible to ignore the bones and belongings scattered about as they passed. 

“I didn’t know it was this bad,” Chihiro said softly. “After talking to Fujisan last year, I did some research. They don’t publish the number of suicides anymore, because they don’t want to give anyone ideas, but the estimate is somewhere between seventy and a hundred per year.  _ Per year.  _ I couldn’t believe it, but now seeing all this…”

No one had anything to add to this comment. They continued through the darkness for another hour. 

“How far have we walked?” Haku asked when they finally took a break under a small opening in the canopy. 

Chihiro reached into her backpack for her phone and found that it wouldn’t turn on. She turned to Risuni, sitting next to her, who was staring at her own phone’s screen. 

“Mine’s almost dead too,” Risuni said as she watched her GPS load. “It’s been searching for a signal since we came in here, I’d guess. It’s been draining the battery.” The map slowly resolved on the screen. “That can’t be right,” Risuni said slowly, staring at it.

“What’s the matter?” Chihiro said, looking over her shoulder. 

“We should’ve walked further than that,” Risuni said, pointing to the screen. The display blinked and went dark, the battery icon flashing before the phone turned off completely. 

“Risuni,” Shika said. “Look over there.” 

They looked. Shika picked up a flashlight from where the girls had set theirs down, and pointed it. There, not ten meters away, was the man, suspended by his noose.

“It’s the same one,” Haku murmured.

“How is that possible?” Risuni whispered. She picked up the other flashlight and illuminated the compass. As they watched, the needle slowly drifted from one side to the other and back again. “Oh, no,” she said. 

Leaves rustled behind them. Risuni turned around from where she sat to look. “That better not be you again, Shika,” she warned.

“I’m right here,” Shika said from her left. He, too, was looking toward the source of the sound.

“We’re all here,” Chihiro said. 

“Show yourself,” Haku called, pointing his flashlight over the girls’ heads. 

The brush parted, and a shaggy animal the size of a large dog stepped out into the moonlight. 


	9. Haunted

##  **Part 8: Haunted**

Chihiro stared. The animal looked like a cross between a boar and a wolf. It had long hair that was light around its long face, and compact body. “What is that?”

Haku set down the flashlight slowly and crouched, holding out his palm. The creature walked forward until it butted Haku’s palm with its nose. Haku scratched it behind the ears. “He’s a serow,” Haku said. “A type of mountain goat - one of Fujisan’s. But what is he doing down here?” 

Chihiro looked again. She could barely make out short horns protruding from the hair between the animal’s ears, and the shape of its head did remind her of a goat’s, now that she thought of it. 

“We probably passed through Fujisan’s territory,” Shika said. “If we did, then he’ll know that we’re here. Maybe he sent the little one to meet us.”

“Is that right?” Haku asked. The serow nodded, and then turned around and trotted away.

“Wait,” Risuni called, swinging her pack between her shoulders. “You’ll have to be patient with us, little brother. We lumbering creatures can’t keep up with you.”

“Speak for yourself,” Shika teased, taking his deer form. Risuni smacked his rump and he squealed. Chihiro and Haku followed, laughing. 

The serow led them down paths that were hidden to human eyes, picking its way nimbly across the forest floor. The humans were relieved but tired, and had to keep each other from tripping even along the path. Shika, a forest spirit himself, had no trouble in his deer shape. He walked next to Risuni, allowing her to lean on his broad back. They walked until the moon was directly overhead and their feet were dragging with weariness. 

“Little one,” Haku called. “We need to stop and rest.” 

The serow nodded at them again, and then trotted off the path into the undergrowth.

“I hope he’s not abandoning us here,” Chihiro said as she took off her pack and sat down. 

They heard crashing sounds in the undergrowth, mixed with swearing. “Slow down!” someone called. The leaves shifted, and the serow was back, leading a smaller, darker-haired serow behind him. Trailing the two of them was a man. The man stumbled as he burst onto the path, almost falling before righting himself.

Haku stood up and faced the newcomer. Shika quickly shifted back to his human form. The girls, almost asleep, stayed where they were.

The man looked at the odd group, and then over to where the two serows stood nuzzling each other. 

“Is this what you led me all the way out here for?” he asked the new serow. It barked at him. “Oh, really now. Not tourists, you say. Well, they don’t look like they’ve been contemplating death either.” He looked over at the exhausted ‘not-tourists’ and raised his eyebrows. “Y’all look like you need a place to stay.”

“You can understand them?” Shika asked, indicating the serows. “How?”

“I can tell already that we have much to tell each other about,” the man said. “For example, how did you all come to the attention of the mountain god, hmm?” He held up his hand as Haku opened his mouth to answer. He pointed up at the moon. “Not now. See up there? It’s past midnight. I’m sure you all want to rest, and we’ll have plenty of time tomorrow.” He hid a yawn behind a hand. “Besides,” he said, smiling, “ _ I’d  _ like to sleep.” He picked up both of the girls’ packs. “Came prepared, didn’t you?” he said, when he felt the heft to them. “The name is Akiyama, by the way. Taiga Akiyama*. Town’s not too far away. Come on.” He waved to the serows, who made no move to follow them. “Thanks,” he called. 

Less than ten minutes later, they had left the trees and entered a small village. Haku’s eyes widened as they turned onto the empty main street and approached a squat wooden building that was still lit despite the lateness of the hour.

“This is it,” Haku whispered to Chihiro. 

“The museum?” she whispered back.

Taiga looked back at them. Illuminated by the streetlights, Chihiro realized that he was actually quite young. Behind his wire-frame glasses, his face was unlined, and he looked as if he was just growing out of teenage lankiness. “You’ve been here before?” he asked. “Then you know how delighted the Hayashis are by guests, even late night ones like yourselves.”

“The Hayashis?” 

“Ashitaka and Aicho Hayashi, the couple that keep the museum,” Taiga explained, opening the door.  

“Wait,” Chihiro protested. “Shouldn’t we knock?”

“Don’t worry,” Taiga said. “I live here.”

The couple waited for them just inside the door. They were smiling. “Welcome,” the woman said. “Please make yourselves at home.” Taiga handed them the packs and took off his shoes, and as he moved out of the doorway, they saw Haku. “Kami-sama?” Aicho whispered, before bowing deeply. Her husband bowed as well.

Taiga, who had been pulling spare blankets out for the unexpected guests, turned to look at Haku.

“No, no, please don’t do that,” Haku said. “You gave me shelter when I needed it before, and here I am imposing on your hospitality again. I am in your debt.” He returned their bow, bending deeper than they had. Chihiro, Risuni, and Shika, all crowded by the door, followed his lead and bowed as well.

“It is no trouble at all,” Ashitaka said. 

His wife stepped off the platform and embraced each of them in turn. “I’m sure you’re tired,” she said, with a significant look at Taiga, who stared at them curiously. “If there are stories to tell, they can wait until tomorrow, I’m sure.”

\---

The group was up with the sun despite their exhaustion from the night before. They joined Ashitaka and Aicho in the morning’s chores as thanks for their hospitality, and then the seven of them sat down to breakfast. 

“I can see that you’ve been through much,” Ashitaka said to Haku. “I hope you’ve rested well.”

“Yes, thank you,” Haku replied, inclining his head toward the man across the table.

“So it’s true?” Taiga asked. “You are a spirit?” He pulled a ratty notebook out of his pocket and a pen from behind his ear, and flipped the notebook open.

“Please, not at the table,” Aicho said. Taiga smiled sheepishly and moved the notebook to the floor, still within easy reach.

“I was the spirit of the Kohaku River,” Haku said.

“Was?” Taiga said.

“The river was filled in some years ago,” Ashitaka supplied. “It used to run west from here toward Nagoya.”

“Haku tells me you have a photograph of him here at the museum,” Chihiro said to Aicho, who sat next to her at the table.

“A photograph of a spirit?” Shika said thoughtfully. “That’s the first time I’ve heard of such a thing.”

Aicho glanced at her husband before answering. “Yes,” she said. “We don’t keep it on display, though.”

“Why not?” Risuni asked. 

Again, Aicho looked over to her husband. 

“It’s… unnerving,” he said. 

“I’d like to see it, if you don’t mind,” Chihiro said. 

* * *

After the meal, Ashitaka led all except Aicho to a back room full of cabinets of all shapes and sizes. Some were meant for display, and these had stuffed specimens and many and various oddities. Shelves on the wall were piled with books of legends and history of the area. One metal filing cabinet was labeled “maps,” another, “news.” Ashitaka knelt before an old wooden chest and opened it to reveal stacks of envelopes and loose photographs, many in black and white. He carefully pulled out a small envelope near the bottom of the pile - the only black on in a sea of aging white and brown - and handed it to Chihiro. She pulled out the photograph gingerly, and gaped.

A woman stood in the foreground. Her piercing stare met Chihiro’s eyes, as palpable as if she had been gripped by the collar, challenging her, demanding… something. Chihiro felt as if she had fallen into the world from which the photo had been taken. With a seemingly vast effort, Chihiro pulled her gaze away to examine the rest of the photograph. It was taken in the forest, on the bank of a river that Chihiro assumed was the Kohaku. There were two men on the riverbank behind the woman. One lay on the floor, a long knife in his hand and his entrails spilling out onto the forest floor. The other stood by the dead man carrying what looked like a large bundle of cloth in his arms. Chihiro realized that the bundle was a person, and she had a pretty good idea who. Her head and bony arms emerged from the bundle and she had buried her head in his neck.

It was definitely Haku, though he was not quite in focus. He looked older, like a human in his late-twenties, with sharper features and hair flowing down his back. 

“That  _ is _ you,” Risuni said with awe in her voice. 

Chihiro turned and just missed hitting Risuni’s head with her own. Risuni had crept up behind her and had been looking over her shoulder. She showed the photograph to the others. 

“That’s Jukai,” Taiga said, pointing to the girl in Haku’s arms. “She looks bad. Worse than she is now.”

“You know her?” Chihiro asked. 

“Who’s that?” Haku interrupted. He pointed to the woman in the foreground. He stared at the photograph intently, seemingly unaware of anyone else in the room. The others looked up to Hiyashi-san for an answer. 

He shook his head. “I don’t know,” he said. “That’s the only photograph where she appears.”

Chihiro looked back down at the woman’s features, trying not to be caught by the gaze, and realized that the woman’s face was familiar. And then she knew where she had seen the woman before. It had been in a dream.

She looked up at Haku, still captivated by the image. “She’s your mother.” 


	10. Daughter of the Forest

“How do you know that?” Haku shot at Chihiro. Then he looked back at the black and white photograph in his hand. “My mother…” he muttered. “Why do I have no recollection of this?”

Shika was the least fazed by the photograph. He punched Haku lightly on the shoulder to get his attention. “You’ve obviously met her,” he said, “even if you don’t remember it. Meanwhile, shouldn’t we get going? Or do we plan on getting lost in the dark again? If we’re going to find Jukai today, not that it’s going to be easy, it  _ is  _ a large forest after all...”

“You’re looking for Jukai?” Taiga said.

“Yes, you’re right,” Haku said. He slid the photograph back into the envelope and held it out to Ashitaka.

“You should keep it,” Ashitaka said, shaking his head.

“Yes,” Chihiro said, addressing Taiga’s question. “Do you know where we can find her?”

“Even better,” Taiga said. “I can take you there. I owe her a visit anyway, and from the looks of it, you mean her no harm.”

* * *

In the filtered sunlight, the forest did not seem so malevolent. The canopy was lush from the recent monsoon rains and the forest floor springy underfoot. Where there were lost belongings or remains, they were nestled against the trees, as if the roots were cradling the bodies. Moss had grown over some of the bones that had sunk into the ground.

Taiga led them to where a wide path through the trees. From the path, the surroundings looked just like a normal forest. There was no sign of the suicide. Once in a while they passed others - hikers and tourists - walking through the forest.

“Are there always so many people?” Risuni whispered to their guide.

“The forest is famous,” Taiga replied softly. “People say it’s haunted, and that draws visitors. This is the main trail. See over there?” he gestured to a spot off the path where the grass had been crushed. “That was from two days ago. We try to keep the trail free of bodies, so that people don’t get ideas.”

After a while, he led them off the path into the undergrowth. It was clear that Taiga had walked this way many times before. This part of the forest looked the same as any other to Chihiro’s eyes. Soon, they came to an old dried-up streambed.

Chihiro looked over to Haku, suspecting that she knew where they were. Haku had become extremely pale. She put a hand on his arm. It was trembling. “Is this…?” she asked.

“Yes,” he said tersely.

They followed the streambed, huddled close together. The air itself felt oppressive. The only one who didn’t seem troubled was Taiga, who walked ahead obliviously.

After a few minutes, Shika stopped them. “Wait a second,” he said. Sweat shone in beads on his face. He ducked into the bushes on the banks of the streambed and retched.

“Are you okay?” Risuni asked, rubbing her hand where he had squeezed it.

Shika straightened up, grimacing and wiping his mouth. “It’s like walking over a corpse,” he said. He looked over at Haku. “Except you’re still alive. How is this not affecting you?”

“I was a wreck the last time I was here, believe me,” Haku said. He was pale and shaky, but didn’t look nearly as bad as Shika. “It’s bearable. I suppose that’s because I’m human now.”

“Are you alright?” Taiga asked from the front of the group. “Can you keep going?”

Shika nodded. “I’ll walk up here, though, if you don’t mind.”

Taiga looked over at Risuni. “What was wrong with him?” he asked in a low voice.

Risuni shrugged. If Shika wanted Taiga to know that he was a spirit, that was on him.

They continued and eventually came to the mouth of a cave set into the bank of what remained of the Kohaku River. The opening was small - they dropped feet first, one at a time, onto a damp stone floor, and pulled out flashlights.

“Put those away,” Taiga said, noticing. “We won’t need them.”

Chihiro and Risuni looked at each other, but slipped the flashlights back into their bags. The only light shone through the hole they had entered from, and illuminated a very small space. It was clear they were standing at one end of the cave. The other extended infinitely into the darkness. Water dripped into some unseen pool far in the distance, and the sound echoed hollowly around them. It looked like any other cave formed from water and limestone. There was nothing extraordinary about it at all.

“Jukai? Granny?” Taiga called.

_ Kai-ai-ai-ai, _ the cave replied.  _ Annie? Annie? Annie? _

“Akiyama-kun, is that you? Come in,” a hoarse voice said.

Chihiro looked around. The voice sounded extremely close, but there was no one around except them.

Taiga led them deeper into the cave. Just as the light from the entrance faded, they came to an opening set into the wall. They emerged single-file into a much smaller chamber, furnished a dainty table and chairs carved from stone. Beaded tapestries on the walls shone in the flickering torchlight. The owner of the voice was nowhere in sight.

“Granny, I brought visitors,” Taiga said by way of greeting.

“She’s having a difficult day,” the hoarse voice said from behind the tapestry. “Perhaps seeing you will help.” Then in a softer voice, they heard her urging: “Come on, sweet. I’ll help you stand up. Taiga’s here to visit you. Won’t that be nice?”

The beads parted and an old woman in a miko gown appeared, supporting a much younger woman by the arm. The woman had bone-pale skin and her orange gown hung loosely on her thin body. Her eyes were brown and wide, and wandered about the room unfocused.

Chihiro gasped. She heard the others’ intake of breath behind her. Despite her being a woman, despite how obvious it was that she was sick, despite everything, it was clear from the woman’s appearance that she was related to Haku.  _ This  _ was the spirit of the so-called Suicide Forest, Aokigahara.

Taiga walked forward, but the old woman held out a hand. “It’s a bad, bad day,” the woman said. Taiga stayed where he was and watched the old woman settle Jukai down into a chair. The others stayed back, unsure of what to do.

“What’s happened, Granny?” Taiga said, approaching the table. “How long has she been like this?”

“Since last night,” the old woman said with a sigh. “It came on so suddenly, and it hasn’t gotten any better.”

Taiga sat down opposite Aokigahara and reached for her hand. At his touch, she snatched her hand away.

“You!” she gasped. “No… no, you’re dead. I saw you…”

“No, Jukai,” Taiga said. “I didn’t kill myself… You know I would never do that.”

Aokigahara was shuddering now, tears streaming down her face. “Ryu, how could you…”

“She doesn’t recognize you,” the old woman said sadly. “She’s been having more and more spells like this, now that Fujisan has been too busy at the palace to visit. Maybe you should go.” She looked at the young people standing at the cave entrance, stunned by what they saw. “I’m sorry. She’s not up for visitors today. You should all go.”

“Wait,” Haku said, and pushed his way to the front of the group. “Maybe she’ll…”

“Another day, dearie,” the old woman said, standing up.

“Niisan,” Aokigahara said.

They turned toward her, but she noticed none of them. Her eyes were fixed on Haku.

The room was silent, and Haku could hear his own ragged breath. He didn’t recognize this girl. He had lost everything that connected him to this girl. But she knew him. And she  _ needed  _ him.

He walked toward her and knelt down in front of her, pulling her into a tight embrace. “I’m sorry,” he said as she cried into his shoulder.

Taiga pulled his eyes from the reunion toward Chihiro, Risuni, and Shika. “Niisan?” he asked.

“Let’s give them some privacy,” Risuni suggested, gesturing toward Haku and Jukai. “We can tell you the full story outside.”

The old woman nodded. “Don’t stray too far,” she whispered as she ushered them out of the cave. 


	11. A Brother and a Son

#  **Act III: The Meaning of Identity**

##  **Part 10: A Brother and a Son**

Haku did his best to ignore the sounds of the others leaving. He turned his attention to the girl clinging to him for comfort. Not just any girl. His little sister. It felt  _ right _ to take care of her, even if he had forgotten how. He held her and stroked her hair, and gradually, the wracking sobs slowed.

“Talk to me,” Haku said. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

“It burns,” Jukai said. Her voice was muffled. Her face was still pressed into Haku’s shoulder. Haku tilted his head toward her to better hear the words. “The blood soaking into the soil,” she whispered. “It  _ hurts _ .”

Haku gently lifted her off him so that he could sit next to her. He placed his arm around her, and then replaced her head on his shoulder. “Is there anything I can do?” he asked softly.

“Fujisan left her a medicine he had made,” the old woman said, watching the reunion. She disappeared into an adjoining cavern and returned with a small bowl of murky brown liquid. She handed the bowl to Haku.

Haku smelled it. It was some sort of herbal infusion. It was familiar, but his human nose couldn’t identify the components. “It’s safe?” he asked.

The old woman nodded. “Be good now, sweet,” she said to Jukai’s downturned head. “The medicine will help. Fujisan made it ‘specially for you.”

Jukai took the bowl from Haku with trembling hands – Haku steadied the bowl with his free hand – and drank it in one slow draught. The old woman took the bowl from her as she began to shake.

“What’s happening to her?” Haku asked.

“It’s expelling the blood from her body,” the old woman replied, watching intently. “Fujisan thought that the madness and darkness might enter her body through the soil with the blood, and might be expelled in the same way.”

Like sweat, drops of blood formed all over her skin and ran down her body in rivulets, staining her clothes and Haku’s. It was as if she was bleeding from her pores.

It didn’t take long. When it had stopped, Jukai seemed calmer. Steadier. She raised her head and looked at him.

“Is that better?” Haku asked, ignoring the bloodstains on his clothes. The stains on Jukai’s gown were slowly fading.

“Yeah,” she whispered. “Thanks for coming, Oniisan.”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t here sooner,” Haku said.

“I’m happy you’re here at all,” Jukai said. She looked up at him. “But why are you here? Shouldn’t you be getting ready for Papa’s abdication?”

“Did Fujisan tell you about that?” Haku asked.

“No. Niisan was telling Granny and I overheard. He thought I was asleep.” She paused, and then added, “I was having a bad day.”

_ Fujisan’s protecting her, _ Haku realized.  _ She doesn’t know about Akuma. Fujisan doesn’t want to worry her.  _ “I came to see Mother,” Haku told her. “Has she been visiting you?”

“Mama’s busy,” Jukai said “It’s the rainy season. But she’s never far from the mountain, where the village used to be. Remember? She’ll hear if you call her from there.”

Haku didn’t answer.  _ She doesn’t know, _ he thought.  _ How can I tell her I have no recollection of this place, except subconsciously? How can I tell her that I don’t remember her or our mother? _

“Niisan,” Jukai said, interrupting his thoughts. “When you’re King, will you still come visit me? Papa never has the time anymore. I miss when we were all together as a family.”

_ I have a family, _ Haku thought.  _ Maybe Mother stays away out of necessity, not desire. But if Father isn’t able to come, I likely won’t be able to either, assuming I survive until then. And then it’ll be another thousand years or more until she can have the family she wants.  _ He smiled at Jukai a little sadly. “I’ll try, Jukai,” Haku said. “I promise you that much at least.”

Jukai tilted her head and smiled a little funny smile. “ _ You _ always called me Aoki,” she said. She saw Haku’s horrified expression and laughed softly. “It’s okay. You don’t have to tell me. I know you and Fuji-niisan don’t want to worry me.” She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter though, Niisan. Whatever it is. You can do anything. I know it.”

* * *

_ Where does her faith in me come from? Is it something I’ve done? Something I’ve forgotten? Or does her naivete give her faith in everyone, even those who don’t deserve it?  _ They climbed Mount Fuji’s base as Haku thought. He had felt guilty at leaving Jukai there at first, even though she had told him she would be fine. Fujisan’s protectiveness had rubbed off on him, perhaps. Or maybe some old instinct had kicked in. Then Risuni offered to stay behind to keep Jukai company. After watching her with the children in her village, Haku knew she would be far better at comforting Jukai than he was.

So it was Haku, Chihiro, and Shika that climbed the mountain, with Taiga leading the way. The path climbed until forest faded to scrub, and then hugged the tree line: one side in shade, the other lined by purple wildflowers. They came to the ruins of the village in a break in the trees. Scattered stones marked where collapsed dwellings had decomposed and returned to the earth. A small graveyard lay beyond them, and then further still, the remains of a temple. 

The foundation of the temple was still intact, though the roof had long since disappeared. Two short statues stood guarding the entrance. One worn smooth by the elements, the other toppled and lying on its side. Another statue stood tall at the center of the ruined temple. It was carved in the likeness of a woman, and had withstood time. On the left, a pot filled with gravel awaited sticks of incense. On the right, a wooden slab sat empty of offerings but for a small ribbon-wrapped bundle. 

“This is it,” Taiga said. “Mizuhanome Temple. If Madame Mizuhanome resides anywhere outside the heavens, it is here.”

Haku looked up at the statue of his mother. Standing on its pedestal, it was taller than he was. Parts of it were worn by the elements as the gatekeepers had been worn, but the eyes had the same piercing gaze as in the photograph. 

“I want to warn you, she's not known to answer calls,” Taiga said. “Shika here tells me their kami speaks to the priest. Madame Mizuhanome is not that kind of kami.”

“Well, the spirits in their village are quite exceptional,” Chihiro said. She grinned at Shika behind Taiga’s back. “I can't imagine all kami behave that way.”

“Maybe she’ll make an exception for us, eh?” Taiga said. He pulled sticks of incense from the beribboned bundle and offered one each to Chihiro and Shika. “We keep these here for travelers, in case they stumble upon the shrine and want to offer a prayer.”

Chihiro took the incense, but Shika refused, shaking his head. “It wouldn't feel right,” he said. 

“Haku?” Chihiro called to where he still stood at the foot of the statue. Haku turned and accepted a stick of incense of his own while Shika grimaced.

Taiga pulled a lighter from his pocket and lit the tip of each stick of incense, and then pushed the base of his deep into the pot of gravel until it stood among the burned out stubs. He bowed to the statue. “Madame Mizuhanome. Will you grace us with your presence?”

Chihiro pushed her stick of incense into the pot next to Taiga’s. She bowed as well. “Mizuhanome no kami,” she said. “We need your help. There's no one else we can ask. Please, let us speak with you.”

Haku moved to place his incense with the others’, but Shika stepped into the way, blocking him. “Incense is how  _ humans _ appeal to the gods,” Shika hissed. 

“I  _ am  _ a human,” Haku said.

“You are the  _ prince _ , and she is your  _ mother _ .” Shika took the incense from Haku and handed it to Chihiro. “Did you ever answer incense at one of your shrines? Or your father, if you don't remember? It is a human conceit.”

Haku sighed and faced the statue. “Madame Mizuhanome,” he said. Nothing happened. He took a deep breath. “Mother?”

“Who speaks?” The voice was as deep as the earth and rumbled like thunder. Air whipped up around their feet and swirled around them. 

“It is your son, Nigihayami Kohakunushi.” 

Lightning struck the statue out of the clear sky and burned the image of a slender sea-grass colored dragon onto the inside of their eyelids. When they could see again, a woman stood where the statue had been. Where the statue had been worn, an ugly burn scar streaked down one side of her face. Even so, she was beautiful. Her eyes were green, brighter than Haku’s, and fiercely intelligent. Her hair was up in an elaborate style, as restrained as her long silk robes were free. 

Haku fell to his knees and bowed until his head touched the floor. Shika bowed deeply also from where he stood, his head almost at his knees. The two humans watched in shock. 

“My son. What do you seek?” Her voice was low and smooth and cool, like rain. 

“The right path,” Haku said, face still to the ground. 

“I can see that you have allowed a great injustice to be done to you,” Madame Mizuhanome said. 

“He didn't allow-” Chihiro began hotly, but Shika shook his head at her to stop her. 

“Yes, Mother,” Haku said. He raised his body until he sat on his heels, and then bowed again. 

“No path is without evil, and no path without hardship. You may choose to fight against the injustice, or you may choose to let it stand. What is your choice?”

“To serve is what I was raised for. It is what you and Father hoped for me. I will serve in whatever way I can.”

“You would forsake yourself for the people and put your duty above everything?”

“Yes, Mother.”

Chihiro watched this exchange, bemused. It was as if they were speaking an entirely different language, one punctuated by Haku’s prolonged bows. Haku seemed to have made a choice, or perhaps one had been made for him. She wasn’t quite sure.  _ What did Madame Mizuhanome mean by let the injustice stand? Could Haku have chosen to remain as a human? _

“This, then, is your task,” Madame Mizuhanome said. “Find what has been stolen and destroy it. Only then will you have the right to reclaim what is yours.”

“How shall I do this, Mother? I am but a human, and he…”

Mizuhanome turned and directed the full force of her gaze at Chihiro. “She has the tool you need.”

“The dagger?” Chihiro asked. Her voice and words seemed too high and out of place after the formality of the dragons’ exchange, but the rain spirit nodded. 

“That is correct,” Mizuhanome said. She turned back to her son. “There is only one body. Harm to him is harm to yourself, should you succeed. Remember that.”

“Yes, Mother,” Haku said.

“Madame Mizuhanome,” Chihiro said.  _ What is it like, being the King’s consort?  _ she had planned to ask. It seemed impertinent now, and too personal a question. Still, she wanted to know if there would be a place for her in Haku’s future. What was that about forsaking yourself for the people? “What should I do?” she asked instead.

“What do you desire?” Mizuhanome asked in return.

Many things ran through her mind. To be a princess. To matter. To do something with her life. “I don’t know,” Chihiro said. 

The goddess seemed to smile, but said nothing. Instead, she turned to Taiga. “My blessings upon your family,” she said, “and my thanks for guiding my son.”

“Thank you, Madame,” Taiga replied, bowing.

Mizuhanome turned to Shika. “My regards to your family as well.” 

“On behalf of the family, I thank you,” Shika said, repeating his earlier bow. “You honor us with your blessing.”

She turned at last to her son, folded on the ground. “Your sister misses you,” she said. “Nigihayami Kohakunushi, my son, go now with my blessing.” 

Then she was gone, and the stone statue stood before them once more. It began to rain. 


	12. Decisions, Decisions

“Find what was stolen and destroy it?” Risuni asked thoughtfully.

They sat on the floor of Jukai’s clearing, recounting what Madame Mizuhanome had told them to Risuni.

“That’s what she said,” Chihiro said. “And the dagger is the tool we need.” Chihiro turned the obsidian blade over and over in her hand. She had done this many times since she had received it – run her hands over the surface of its frost-on-coal sheath and marvel at its smoothness. She would draw it and watch as the light danced through the curves and ridges of the volcanic glass. It would protect her, Fujisan had told her while Haku had lain pale and still, from anything in the human or Spirit worlds. Later she had read that lava was blood drawn from the veins of a mountain, and that obsidian, its purest solid form, could pierce even the scales of a mountain.

“She must have meant the scale,” Shika said. “What else could it be?”

“Dragon scales are immutable,” Haku said, thinking out loud. “When he is in dragon form, his imitation will be perfect. But if he takes human form, the scale will not change with him.” He touched the back of his neck from which in a moment of need he had once plucked the scale. “And it will be right here, where it originally came from.”

“So we have to wait until he turns into a human, and then stab him in the neck with the dagger?” Risuni said.

The others stared at her.

“That’s impossible,” Shika said flatly. “How would we even get close? Palace security would catch us in a minute.”

“Actually,” Haku said thoughtfully. “That’s not necessarily true. There  _ are  _ guards that patrol the grounds, but on the whole, detection of intruders falls to the King, and father is  _ our  _ side.”

“So how would we get in?” Chihiro asked.

“As servants,” Haku said. “Visitors to the palace bring their own servants. Powerful visitors often bring entire armies of them.”

“Armies?” Chihiro said. “Are there ever rebellions? What about the security of the King?”

“The palace is like a living being,” Haku explained. “With the Pearl, the King has absolute control over everything that happens inside the grounds. Assassins disguised as servants inside the palace grounds?” He shook his head. “They won’t be anticipating anything like this. Besides, we’re some of the most powerful fighters and magic-users in the Spirit World. And challenging a dragon in his own element? You’d have to be mad.”

“Like I said,” Shika said. “Impossible. Just listen to yourself.”

“They won’t be anticipating anything like this,” Haku repeated. “And Father won’t give us away.” He grinned and looked at Shika. “It’s a good thing your parents requested I find you a place at court in the spring. You have a standing invitation to the palace.”

“You can’t be serious,” Shika said, appalled.

“I see,” Risuni said. “Haku would be your manservant, and Chihiro would play as my maid.”

“You are  _ not  _ coming,” Shika snapped.

“I have to,” Risuni said. “Or rather, Chihiro has to, and she can’t be  _ your _ servant. People would talk. And she can’t be in the spotlight as your consort if we’re gonna keep her hidden from Akuma.”

“I have to be there?” Chihiro said in alarm. “Why?”

Risuni nodded. “It’ll be on you in the end to do the stabbing.”

“I couldn’t,” Chihiro protested. “I have no idea how to use this thing.”

“Fujisan gave it to you,” Haku said. “You have to be the one to wield it. Besides, no one will expect such a thing from a maidservant.”

“Back to the topic at hand,” Shika said over Chihiro’s uncertain expression. “Risuni, love, you’re a human. Nothing against you or humans, but bringing a human consort to the palace would scandalize the entire court.”

“How about a witch then?” Risuni said, unperturbed. “I’ve been working on it.”

“You’re a witch?” Chihiro interrupted. 

“Everyone in the family has spirit blood,” Risuni explained. “Half-bloods all have the potential to use magic. Most of us just don’t bother. I can do little things - light fires, change my appearance a little, that kind of thing. If I want to learn more, I have to spend more time in the Spirit World.”

“A witch would be more acceptable,” Haku said. “The more powerful the better. At least, that was the state of things when I left. It could work.”

“This is the most hare-brained scheme I’ve ever heard,” Shika snapped.

“Do you have a better idea?” Risuni said. “You just don’t want me to meet your parents.”

There was a moment of silence.

“No, I don’t want you to meet them,” Shika growled. “And no, I don’t have a better idea.”

“It won’t be easy,” Haku said.

“You don’t say!” Shika exclaimed.

Haku ignored him and addressed Chihiro instead. “As for not knowing how to use that,” Haku nodded toward the dagger, “I can teach you.” He turned to Risuni and Shika. “Can you fight?”

“A little,” Risuni said.

“I can bite,” Shika snapped. “You realize I spent my entire life avoiding exactly this situation right? You’ll owe me one after this, Haku.”

“Think of this as payment for letting Chihiro get kidnapped in Tokyo then.”

The boys glared at each other. 

Chihiro placed a hand on Haku’s arm. “It wasn’t his fault,” she said.

Risuni raised her eyebrows at Shika, who sighed. “All my rebellious teenage years, wasted,” he said. “Fine. I’ll do it.”

“You’ll all need to learn to blend in,” Haku said. “Your clothes, etiquette, self-defense… It takes a lifetime to learn to be a courtier. I know what’s expected of men at court, but women are expected to know another set of courtesies altogether, and my knowledge in that aspect is not precise...”

“If I may,” Taiga said, startling the others. He had been so quiet they had forgotten that he was there, and had spoken freely. He tore his eyes from the notes he was taking and peered up at them through the glasses slipping down his nose. “Sorry to interrupt, but I couldn’t help thinking, if you’re looking to learn to impersonate a woman of the dragon king’s court, wouldn’t Jukai be the perfect person to teach you such a thing?”

“I don’t want to worry her,” Haku said, but a moment later Jukai’s head peeked out from the opening that led into her cave dwelling, as if drawn to her name.

Chihiro held back a gasp. The spirit of Aokigahara was almost unrecognizable. She was standing straight and there was color in her cheeks. Her black hair, now glossy with health, was tied loosely back. Her robe was the exact color of maple leaves in the autumn and suited her much more than the orange from earlier. The resemblance to Madame Mizuhanome was astonishing.

“Niisan,” Jukai said. “I heard your voice. What are you doing sitting out here on the ground? Why don’t you come in?”

Behind her the old miko was hurrying out, shawl in hand and looking worried.

“I didn’t want to disturb you,” Haku said.

She looked around at them all, locking eyes briefly with Taiga. “You’re not disturbing me,” she said. “Come in. I insist.” 

There was no way to refuse.

“Now,” Jukai said once they were all sitting around her table once again. “What were you all discussing out there?” She saw Haku and Taiga exchange a glance. “I know you and Fuji-niisan are trying to protect me, but I want to help, if I can. I worry about you, too, you know.”

Taiga didn’t say anything. He watched Haku, waiting for his decision. 

_ Trying to keep Chihiro out of the war certainly didn’t keep her safer, _ Haku thought.  _ And what could happen to her that would be worse than what she’s had to deal with already?  _ “Okay, Aoki,” he said. “We do need your help. Can you teach Chihrio and Risuni how to fit in with the ladies at the palace?”

Jukai gave him a long, hard look. “Yes, I can,” she said. “But you and I need to have a long chat where you catch me up on everything that’s happened and tell me where you’ve been the last fifteen years.” She sighed. “And call me Jukai. It doesn’t feel right. You’ve changed, somehow.”

* * *

It was late when they all returned to the museum for the night. Chihiro’s mind was ringing with Jukai’s instructions on posture, sitting, walking, bowing… She almost fell asleep as they ate a late dinner with the Hayashis, and stumbled to the room she shared with Risuni, waiting for her turn to bathe. She made the bed sluggishly, then plopped herself down next to the pillow, trying to keep the mud and sweat from the day’s hiking off the clean sheets. She pulled her backpack toward her and rifled through it for a clean change of clothes, thinking longingly of the hot water that awaited her. Instead of pulling out the clothes, however, her hand met the hard plastic of her phone. She pulled it out and flipped it open out of habit to find a queue of texts from Yumi. She sighed.

“Chihiro, what are you doing in there? We’re going to be late for class! If you don’t come out right this minute I’m leaving without you!”

“Hey, where were you today? You missed a quiz in Sato’s class. I told her you were sick. She said you can go take it in her office sometime this week when you’re feeling better.  _ Are _ you sick? You better not have eloped with your  _ boyfriend  _ without telling me! Call me.”

“Don’t forget you owe me dinner! Are you free tonight?”

“Unless you’re actually sick, in which case keep your germs to yourself but CALL ME.”

“Did you get mugged? Are you dead? Why aren’t you answering your phone??”

“Are you mad at me?”

“Chihiro, are you okay? I’m getting worried about you.”

“Hey, so these two police officers showed up at my apartment today and asked me if I knew you and Kohaku. I told them yes and asked them what the matter was, and they said they suspected Kohaku of theft and kidnapping. Then they asked me if I knew where you were, and I had to say no. He hasn’t actually kidnapped you, has he? I’m gonna kill you if this is some kind of prank. It’s not funny you know.”

This last one was only an hour ago. Chihiro dialed Yumi’s number. Yumi picked up on the first ring.

“Chihiro,” Yumi said in a barely-audible whisper. “They’re outside right now. I think they’ve staked out my apartment. What’s going on? Where are you?”

“Yumi?” Chihiro said in alarm. “Who’s outside?”

“Those police officers,” Yumi whispered. There was a bang, and Chihiro heard Kaito shouting in the background. 

“What’s happening?” Chihiro said.

There was a crash, as if Yumi had dropped the phone. “Kaito! What are you doing? Stop it! Leave him alone!” Yumi’s voice shouted from a distance. There was a scream. Then a deep voice Chihiro didn’t recognize spoke into the receiver. 

“Where is he?” the voice growled.

Chihiro snapped her phone shut and sat there, fully awake now, for a full minute. 

* * *

“I have to go back.”

“It’s dangerous! They were clearly looking for you.”

“I need to know what happened to Yumi,” Chihiro argued. “If they hurt her in any way… She didn’t sign up for this!”

“We need to get to the palace as soon as possible,” Haku said. “The coronation is in two months and the longer the palace staff have to get used to our presence, the less wary of us they’ll be. That means attending a banquet at least once a week until the coronation, starting with the next one. We don’t have enough time to prepare as it is.”

“On the other hand,” Shika said. “It might throw them off the scent. They already think that she’s with you. If she goes back to school and pretends she’s actually been sick or something, they might not expect her to show up at the palace.”

“Finals are next week,” Chihiro said. “I can pretend I was holed up in the library with my phone silenced. If Akuma’s spies haven’t kept up with university culture, maybe they’ll be so surprised they won’t question it.”

“Finals?” Haku said. 

“Examinations,” Risuni supplied. “That’s right, the end of the term is coming up, isn’t it? Are you going to take them?”

“You have them too,” Chihiro said. 

“My parents will understand,” Risuni said. “You should, if you can. The semester is almost over. Besides, it would make for good cover.”

“So you think I should go?” Chihiro said.

“She’s your friend,” Risuni said simply.

“Not alone,” Haku said.

Chihiro shook her head. “It would look out of place. It’ll be easy to pretend to be a student as I have been, but I can’t explain your presence to Akuma’s spies if they’re waiting for me at school.”

“What if they kidnap you too as a way to get Haku to reveal himself?” Shika said. 

“They’re disguising themselves as policemen and coming up with bogus reasons to arrest Haku,” Chihiro said. “That means they don’t want to make a fuss. If I make it clear to my friends and teachers on campus that I’m studying hard for finals, it’ll raise eyebrows if I don’t show up to take them. As for preparations, I know Taiga was taking notes while Jukai was explaining things. I’ll make a copy and keep studying them. Besides, Risuni will be the one everyone’s got their eyes on. Hopefully people will be distracted and not pay too much attention to a clumsy maid on her first visit to the palace… I’ll catch up on the lessons after finals are over. Promise.” She glanced up at Haku.

“Fine,” he said, recognizing her determined expression. “But I’m teaching you the basics of hand-to-hand combat before you leave. First thing in the morning.” He saw her grimace. “You should know how to defend yourself. Fighting takes time and discipline to learn. We can’t delay your lessons by two weeks. And,” he caught her gaze, “you’ll need to practice.”

* * *

Chihiro and Haku stood in the grassy courtyard behind the museum in the morning chill, shivering a little. Haku had woken her at the crack of dawn for her lesson. “The first thing you need to know,” Haku said, “is how to fall.” Chihiro rolled her eyes. “It sounds cliche because it’s true,” Haku said. “When you get hit - and you will get hit - you need to be able to fall without hurting yourself and to get back onto your feet as quickly as possible. The enemy is not going to stand by politely and wait for you to get up again. Watch.” He tumbled forward, tucking and rolling before springing back to his feet. 

Chihiro looked apprehensive. “I don’t think I can do this,” she said. 

“You  _ have _ to learn how to do this,” Haku said sternly. “You  _ can _ do it, with practice.”

Chihiro shook her head. “No, that’s not what I mean. I mean, fight Akuma? And stab him while he’s wearing your face?” She shuddered.

Haku put an arm around her shoulders. “You were the one who told me I was me no matter what I looked like. He is him, even if he looks like me. Look. You need to be prepared. You have to be able to defend yourself. Otherwise… I worry about you. I can’t protect you, but I  _ can _ teach you.”

Chihiro nodded reluctantly.

“Alright,” Haku said. “Watch again, carefully.” He showed her how to tuck in her chin as she fell, as so not to injure her neck, to fall on the flat parts of her body, to protect her knees and elbows. He showed her how to roll using her shoulder blades as leverage in a kind of somersault and flip back onto her feet. Haku drilled her, making sure she understood enough to practice on her own.

“Good,” Haku said after about an hour’s practice, making Chihiro sigh in relief. Haku looked at her, exasperated. “We’re not done,” he said. “You can’t deter an opponent by falling at him. You have to hurt him enough to convince him to leave you alone.” He paused, thinking. “There’s no point in teaching you any martial art in particular. There’s nothing you can master in two months. But you should know basic self defense. When you get back, we’ll move on to how to use that dagger.” 

He made her copy him as he demonstrated strikes using his elbows, knees, and head, and then pointed out which body parts she should aim for. Chihiro was reluctant to hurt him, and try as he might, Haku could not cajole her into putting her weight into her attacks. 

By this time, Risuni and Shika had gotten up and were watching from under the eave of the house. “Mind giving a demonstration?” Haku asked, frustrated with Chihiro’s lack of enthusiasm.

“Sure,” Shika replied. 

“A bit eager, aren’t you?” Haku said dryly as Shika took his place in front of him. “Okay. Let’s say I grab your arm from the front. Grab me back. That’s it. You would pull me toward you and knee me in the groin. If I grab you from the back, that places me within easy reach of your elbows. See here, right between the ribs, under the sternum. That would hurt. If I wrap my arm around you, pull me down with your weight. You can use your hips like this, or, from this low point, explode upward and slam your head into my face, see?”

He made the girls practice it on each other, going through the motions slowly and widening their stances, and then practice it on him and Shika, showing them how to tweak their movements to account for a heavier opponent. They were all drenched with sweat when the Taiga came out to call them to breakfast.

“That’ll have to do,” Haku said, frowning. He took Chihiro’s hand. “You have to take this seriously,” he said. “I wish we had more time so you could gain some real proficiency.”

“I’m just not used to it, I guess,” Chihiro said. “Sorry.”


	13. A/N: I could really use your help!

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to start posting on a new platform - Tapastic. I would really appreciate it if you would drop by to check it out. The version posted there is revised from The Other World (again?! yes, I know, again, sorry :P), and if you've only ever read the drafts titled Chihiro you'll find many familiar elements but much better writing. I promise. If you are so inclined, head over to:

https://tapas.io/series/The-Other-World1

It means so much to me that all of you have stuck around this long!

Swansae


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